Suddenly, Chester felt as if someone was looking at him. He turned around and sighted Hanson among the crowd. They looked at each other as a playful smile both formed on their lips. After which, they raised their glasses of wine to each other, their smile just growing and growing. Both of them downed the glass in one gulp and started to walk towards one another.
"Chester, long time no see!" Hanson greeted him with a smile. "Our master's been in poor health lately but he still keeps talking about you."
"Is that so?"
Chester smiled. "So what are you doing here if our master is sick? Won't he get mad?"
"Even you're not afraid, why should I be?" Hanson sad lightly. "He's banned me for twenty years. The earlier he dies, the earlier I'll be free."
"How can you be so detached? Our master loves you!"
"He loves me just as much as he loves you," Hanson said slowly. "Otherwise, why would he make a rule tailor-made for you and me?"
"Haha!" Chester guffawed, "Hanson, it seems that we've both been waiting for this day for a long time."
Hanson nodded. Then the smile on his face started to fade away as he spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, "Yes, Chester, I believe we've waited far too long."
"Since you've both waited long enough and the table is already ready, why don't you start the game now?"
a cold voice suddenly interrupted them. Neither Hanson nor Chester turned to see who was interrupting them. Instead, they were staring each other down. When the God of Gambling accepted them as disciples, the first thing he had ever told them was that there was no room for mutual affection in gambling. There could be only one winner, one loser, and absolutely no place for sympathy.
"I want it to be a closed game, please," Chester said slowly.
Hanson didn't respond to him and just kept staring into his eyes. He looked at Brian who hadn't said a word yet too, "Mr. Brian Long, I agree. Closed game, please."
Throughout this whole conversation, Brian's face remained expressionless—he didn't even flinch. He looked at Chester briefly. When the atmosphere had started to tighten a little bit, he opened his thin lips and spoke slowly, "If that's what you both want, then why not ?"
Hanson smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Brian Long!"
Brian looked at Aaron and said indifferently, "Give them a room." Brian was already on his way out when he stopped in his tracks and turned around, looked at Hanson, and said, "Hanson, I don't care whether you win or lose. You're betting on your own either way so it doesn't matter but I suggest you come out here whole and alive and see for yourself what I have in store for you."
Brian didn't wait for Hanson to respond before he turned around once more and left with Molly. Hanson blinked as he watched Brian walk away. "Ken, take them to that room," Aaron ordered. After a pause, he added, "Turn off all cameras and tell the staff they're on a break for the meantime."
"Yes, your highness!"
Ken answered. Then he looked at Hanson and Chester and said, "Please follow me."
Aaron and Ximena stared at Hanson and Chester when they left. While Hanson and Chester headed to the room, they discussed the stakes casually.
"Chester, what should we play for? I don't want this to be boring, you got that?"
"Hanson, just because everything you do has some thrill to it doesn't mean that's going to make you happy."
"Hmm? Is that true? Not for me. Every time the stakes are interesting, I'd be more likely to win."
Chester smiled and said, "You want me to retire. Fine then, that's what I'm putting up as my stake."
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